Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images a scene by sampling and then coherently processing RF energy returns along the radar flight path. These energy returns are the reflections from a space-varying function (scene) and may be processed to represent samples in the Fourier space of the scene. In other words, the Fourier space of the scene is the Fourier Transform of the 3-D complex reflectivity of the scene being imaged. SAR phase history data represents a polar array in the Fourier space of a scene being imaged. Polar Format processing is a known process that reformats the collected SAR data to a Cartesian (rectangular) coordinate array for efficient processing and image formation. In a real-time system, this reformatting or “re-gridding” operation is normally the most processing intensive, consuming the majority of the processing time; it also is a source of error in the final image. Because a flat scene can typically be assumed, image formation can be accomplished via a 2-D Fourier Transform. However, residual errors in the data model will effectively limit the region within the image that exhibits optimum focusing. It is therefore desirable to reduce the re-grid processing time and avoid degradations in image quality. According to exemplary embodiments of the invention, in processing two-dimensional SAR data into a rectangular grid format, the SAR data is subjected to a Fourier transform operation, followed by a corresponding interpolation operation. Because the interpolation operation follows the Fourier transform operation, the interpolation operation can be simplified, and the effect of interpolation errors can be diminished. This provides for the possibility of both reducing the re-grid processing time, and improving the image quality.